U.S President, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have both issued statements marking the third anniversary of the Kabul airport attack that killed 13 U.S. service members.
Today, Monday, August 24, 2024, marks three years since the August 26, 2021, suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport, which killed the American service members and more than 100 Afghans.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.
In her statement, Harris said that “Today and every day,” she mourns the 13 American service members.
“My prayers are with their families and loved ones. My heart breaks for their pain and their loss,” Harris noted.
“These 13 devoted patriots represent the best of America, putting our beloved nation and their fellow Americans above themselves and deploying into danger to keep their fellow citizens safe.”
Kamala Harris
She stated that Biden “made the courageous and right decision to end America’s longest war.”
“Over the past three years, our Administration has demonstrated we can still eliminate terrorists, including the leaders of al-Qaeda and ISIS, without troops deployed into combat zones.
“I will never hesitate to take whatever action necessary to counter terrorist threats and protect the American people.”
Kamala Harris
Biden’s statement also paid tribute to the 13 Americans who died as “patriots in the highest sense” who “embodied the very best of who we are as a nation: brave, committed, selfless.”
“Ever since I became Vice President, I carried a card with me every day that listed the exact number of American service members who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan—including Taylor, Johanny, Nicole, Hunter, Daegan, Humberto, David, Jared, Rylee, Dylan, Kareem, Maxton, and Ryan,” Biden said.
Biden urged Americans never to forget the immense price that was paid for their freedom.
“We must never forget that each beloved service member we lost was a human being, who left behind entire families and communities. And together, we must never stop striving to be worthy of their ultimate sacrifice,” He stressed.
“Today, our longest war is over. But our commitment to preventing attacks on our homeland — or our people — never will be. We will continue to disrupt terrorist activity, wherever we find it.
“We will continue to deliver justice to terrorists who plot against America — just as we have over the last three years with the leader of al-Qaeda and the global leader of ISIS. And we will do so without deploying thousands of American troops to ground wars overseas.”
Joe Biden
Also on Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that Congress will posthumously honor the 13 service members by presenting their families with the Congressional Gold Medal next month.
It is the highest civilian award that Congress can bestow.
Trump Participates In Wreath-Laying Ceremony
Donald Trump visited Arlington national cemetery in Virginia to take part in a wreath laying ceremony to mark the third anniversary.
Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, laid wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery in honor of three of the slain service members — Sgt. Nicole Gee, Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover and Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss.
The Republican presidential nominee has regularly attacked the Biden administration over the chaotic pullout and attack at Kabul airport’s Abbey Gate that killed 13 American soldiers, and will be seeking to tie his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, to those events.
On his Truth Social site, Trump called the U.S withdrawal “the most EMBARRASSING moment in the history of our Country,” adding, “Gross Incompetence – 13 DEAD American soldiers, hundreds of people wounded and dead.”
“You don’t take our soldiers out first, you take them out LAST, when all else is successfully done,” he said in the post.
Trump is scheduled to visit Michigan later to address the National Guard Association of the United States conference.
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